Jay Eugene Alloway

Jay Eugene Alloway was born September 24, 1947, in Wichita, Kansas, to Harold Jay Alloway and Juanita Ehrman Alloway. He graduated from Southeast High School in Wichita before earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University in 1970.

Jay began his career at the Kansas State University Computing Center in 1969. Over the course of 48 years of dedicated service, he served in numerous roles, including systems analyst, systems programmer, Assistant Director and Acting Associate Director. The hundreds of thousands of individuals who used the K-State Listservs over the years have him to thank. His passion for computers made his career both a calling and a lifelong hobby. His wife and daughters are also left pondering how they will crack his hand coded home office machine drives without his beautiful mind to guide them through the process.

Jay was a man of deep faith. He joined College Heights Baptist Church in Manhattan, Kansas, in 1965, where he served as a deacon and sang with the choir. He later moved his membership to Lenexa Baptist Church in Lenexa, Kansas, in 2021. As a college student, he served as a summer missionary in Guyana with the Home Mission Board (now the North American Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention.

These are the facts of Jay's life. But this summary does a woefully short job of describing the man he was. Thanks to his brother, Jay met Beth Osborne during the fall semester of 1968. A simple ride to church in November became a date (much to Beth's surprise) and they were talking marriage by Christmas. Even though she didn't want to be an 18-year-old bride, she agreed with Jay that living separate for a whole summer was too long and married him on June 1, 1969. His relationship with Beth, including his support of her desire to return to work as a young mother and encouragement throughout her career journey, was a hallmark of his character. He was an advocate for women and their ability to achieve whatever they set their minds to do.

Jay loved learning. As a teenager he loved taking things apart and rebuilding them, was a ham radio operator and taught himself to code before coding was a thing. He took online classes alongside his children so he could have informed conversations about their interest areas, trained as a volunteer EMT, held a lifetime subscription to Motor Week, and delighted in introducing his family to new technology.

Hidden behind his highly technical mind and strong guiding principles of what was right and proper, was a sly sense of humor. Those who knew him best enjoyed his smirks and unexpected comments. Unlike the rest of the family, he never marked Christmas presents with a to/from tag and pretended every year to be surprised when we thanked him for his gift. Fourth of July celebrations (never held on July 4 because we were a busy family) were incomplete without the use of a blow torch to light the fireworks. The torch was used to light up an occasional birthday cake as the years added candles.

Like the machines he worked on, Jay played the backbone role in his family. While his wife and girls were running to school plays, 4-H events, choir practice, band practice and a host of other activities, Jay made sure the family was financially stable, cars were replaced, the lawn was mowed, and home appliance repairs were completed. A lifelong night owl, it was impossible for his girls to arrive home without Dad being awake to greet them. And while other parents might despair over learning Common Core math, Jay's girls have only known how to do new math. Not surprising for a man who taught himself calculus. He also served as a happy runway fashion observer after every school shopping stock-up trip and taste tester for all fair food entries. This required exceptional tasting skills – sometimes more than one bite, of course – and a discerning eye to decide which three items were exactly the same size, shape and color.

Jay's wife and daughters were delighted to meet Grandpa (Papa) Jay when grandchildren joined the family. Known as a firm dad during their growing years, his daughters discovered an indulgent grandfather who adored all eight of his grandchildren. He introduced them to technology, developed a special Grandpa Jay wave and listened to their many stories – all while reminding them to "not touch his things."

Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Juanita Alloway, and his brother, Tom Alloway (1977). He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Beth Osborne Alloway; daughters Shannah (Kelly), Heather, and Tami (Josh); eight grandchildren; sister Sheryl (Richard); and a large, loving extended family.

Jay passed away September 14, 2025, at Olathe Hospice House. His family is grateful for the compassionate care provided by the many dedicated medical professionals within The University of Kansas Health System during the last six months of his life.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, November 22, at College Heights Baptist Church in Manhattan, Kansas. Family visitation will take place at the church the evening before, Friday, November 21.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to College Heights Baptist Church or the Lenexa Baptist Church Foundation. More than monetary gifts, the family treasures your stories and memories of Jay.